Banana stalk stringer



NOV. 3, 1931. NORUNG 1,830,208

BANANA STALK STRING-ER Filed Dec. 8, i950 Fig.4- I

Oscar l atented" 3, 1 931 FAT-ENTYQFFlCloscAn Non-m mic]? jrAconrA, wssnr veron BAN NA s'rALKsTRIN ER Application filed December 8, 1930. Serial No. 500,768.

. invention relates tothe handling. of

bunches'ot bananasandhas special reference to the applying of loops to thestalks thereof,

and tangling whiletheyare'held-inreadiness I for use ;third, to holdtheloop whichis being applied to a'banana .bunch stalk in proper position; I fourth,to provide a means which will automaticallyand" quickly :wind a 1 loop around thestalk and thread it through itself;

fifth tor'prov-ide such a meanswhichwillre quire only to be pressed onthe stalk andlmi mediatelywithdrawn therefrom to complete the above operation; andz sixth, to provide such a-means which .isstrong and rugged in construction che'apto make, and simple and effective'inoperation," a q or V 1 I- attain these and other-objectsby the devices, mechanisms, [and arrangements illustrated in l the accompanying drawings, in

Figs: 1, 2 and 3 a are general plan views of my invention in use, in which Fig. 1 shows the device {at theibeginning' of the'aact of pressing the banana bunch stalk, Fig. 2 shows the'parts at'the endLof-the'pressure; andFig. 3

showsthe device being drawn away, from the stalkand the-loop being'tigh-tened around the stalk; Fig.4 is avp'lanview of the oper-l atingcheadofthe devicein its normal'posi-- I P v I and 1. Then another loop 9 1s similarly tion; Fig-5 is; a sidefelevation thereof; and

Fig. 6 "is a pla1nview "thereoi, 1 when being Similar-numerals of referenee refer to simi- -"lar' parts throughout the severalfviews.

e Bunchescofbananas are received" by the v, wholesaler packed in cars; vor ships and; must "'be hung by himin his warehouse for the pur- :p'ose offurtherripenin'g. or fo'r display to his cust mers, orJ awaiting v further shipment Eor-thispnrposehe passes a'looparoundeach i ofthe banana stalks; an act;- known to :the trade {as :stringing the ibanana stalksi; and hangs them rupfbymeans of this loop. This 5 stringing or theistalks isiaslowprocess, when accomplished without tools, andit is for the purposegof reducing the time and labor in- ;volved therein that lhave produced the fol lowingedescribed. apparatus.v It. isr to be understood; however," that this stringing act may take place at anyip oint betweenthe pick-.

ing of the banana bunch and its final sale to the consumerr I, 4. v. t p i The l'oop ho lder Referrin'gfto 1 and 2, it willbe that: a loop-holder isstrappedtothe arm of' V the operator. This loop-holder comprises a basebar, 1, secured to the lower varm of the operator by means of a' wrist strap 2 and an arm strap 3; a longer clamp bar 4, secured to said base bar land ofiset therefrom by means of two lugs 5, said clampbar 4 being divided intotvvoj parts nearits center by means of an offset, as shown; at 6; a front retainer spring 7 ,7. secured to and extending forward irointherear ofisaid ofiset, 6to the front end of the bare; and a rearretainer spring 8, secureditoiand extending forward from the rear end of the bar ito'a point over the rear end of the. spring 7. I Theparts 1, 4, 7 and .8

are preferably made of fiat metal. The parts .7 "and. 8 are shaped-t0 permit the loops of placedon the holder and this is repeated until vthe holder is full. iInvthis way about thirty loops maybe placed on the holder and the operator mayj handle. an equal number of bunches'of bananas in swift succession before hefne'eds to load up his holder: again. In certaincases Iprefer to form theat-tachment.

between the parts stand 5' detachable, by meansoi a slotiin the part. 5 hooking over a qheaded pin 28qonthe'part 1, so that when one suchholder is used, it may be removed and another loaded holder substituted without unffastening the straps 2 and 3. v 2 t m0 The loop-holder isoperated in thefollowslipped out fronrbetweenthe parts 4 and 8 and is passed'and hooked into the hereinafter described tool head,'taking care that it does not become twisted in so doing, that is to'say the'part, of the-loop whichlies above the spring 8 isibroughtover the tool tothe upper ,side ofthe tool'head. When the operation is V as it is pulledtautr a j completed (Fig.3) thepart of the loop held 7 between theparts 4 and 7 slips therefrom and" slides-on an d'along the first-part; of the loop: a a v i jaw 21 passes to the right thereof. As the inner ends of thejaws 20 and 21 oolnein conv "The {e01 is-provides Want: hand-grip 10,,

frorn'whioh 'a hollow stenrll extends. This stern contains 'acentral rod 12, which extends l out from itsifront endunder the influence of a compression spring 13- mounted inthe stem mounted apai-rroffrollers 'l6,xadapted to en- 1 gage therear edges of the hereinafter desorib'ed jawsto openthe said jaws, and a pin 7 whioh passes through suitable slot s'in'the s'aicliiawsQ s I The said ste bracket arms-" 18 atthe' forward end, eaoh of which-carries onezofth'e-jaws, 'pivotally-se- I the'other' end'fof the loop' 9P is pulledotf the fllbr anches out to form two curedthereto 'bythe pivots l9; I

tin

"The two j aws 20 and 2lare sirnilar in form, r 3 except at their outer end'sfEaoh aw is of a eurved'or substantially arcuateform of aboutasemieircle in extent so that-when they are closed they form a closed ring around the stem :01. the ban-ana bu'nch, and each is provided with a ou-r ved slot '22 at their rear ends through whichtheabove pin 17 passes The aws-20 and 21 are pit otedne'ar their centers tothe' arms f18 bythe .piv'otsl9; The rear ends of the j aws overlap .at-all times, thus permit .the end, and is provided with a transverse or vertical recess or loop-slot 23, adapted to re-" oeive -the' loop 9 of rope and-to hold it as it a is} passed besid'e[ the stalk '(Fig spl and 2);

The right handfi aw 21 is also; of double conjstruotion at'it's' outer 7 end and'oa'rries a hook 24L 1 pivoted 1 at 725 between thetwo parts thereof; The hook 24jextendsout from the end'o f thej aw. 21and is adapted-to pass betw'een' the two-parts or" the end of the jaw.

" -"The hook, 2st is pressed into its normal "positionagainstytheistop 29by means of the springggfi' fsuitablyf nounted on thejj w 21, Y- but is' perniitted to swing inward onit's pivot 25'against the-action of said spring '26, therepermitting' it'fto pass behind the loop- 9 1 1. lf ,he1d in the loop-slot 23, when the jaws 20'a'nd v, 9" fQ lFEI-FB in closedposition:(Figs.2 and 6') a i The above-described apparatus is operated as above described the top side of said loop 9 orossesover the apparatus (Fig s1) The head of the apparatus is then thrusttowards a bananabunoh stalk, indicated at 27, in such m'annerfthat the jaw 20, carrying the loop 9, passes to the left of the said stalk and the tact with the stalk 27, they tend to turn on they are thus turned'the outer endsof thej aws 20'and'21 approach each. other until the hook 24: touches the loop 9', held in the loop-holding slot '23,iwhe n it moves inward on its pivot 25, against the action of the" spring 26, until it passes and lies behind the said'loop 9. Then the pressure between the stalk 27 andtheinne'r ends of thejaWsQO and 21Tis' removed and the jawsljare again swung-on their pivots 19,

thus separating fthein. fIIlQlZhlS action the hook'24ven'gagesthel'oop9'and removes it from the loop-'slot23 and carries it around the rear side-of the stalk 27;, As the apparatus ismoved'further away from the stalk 27,

Having described'niy invention, what I claim and I desire to secure byLett'ersPatent, 1S: 7

' I" 1; .In a banana.st1'inger,a loop-holder comprising in combination, a base bar; means to strap Sflld. bar to the lower arm of the opera tor.; a ola np bar supported by said base bar; E'and a springmounted on said ola np bar and adapted to retain one'endof a. loop between itand?said olarnp bar whiletheotherend of the loop is being strung :arou-nd a banana stalk.

j Ina banana stringeraa loop-holder oomp'ris-ingin-oonibination,abase bar; means to strap said .bar to the lowerarrni of the I opera- 7 :t or a clamp, bar supportedby said base bar and twosprin'gs n ountedfon said olainp bar,

one behind the othe Qand adaptedi-totogether hold a plural ty of loops hetween the1nand said clamp barQthe' front springbeing also adapted to retainnone end of a} single loop he- )tweenfitland said Clamp barfiwhile theother endiof the "said loop bangsmn around a 7 banana stalk;

3, In-a' bananastringer, theoonibination of a loop holder adapted to retain a plurality of loops "thereonand one-"end of ar'single loop iand' a tool having; one portion T adapted to, "carry theother end of said single loopgto one he first portion, at the rearof the stalk, and v draw it around the other side of the stalk.v

4. In a banana stringer, the combination 1": a loop-holder; a flexible loopheld at one nd by said loop-holder; a stem held in oprative position in relation to said looplOldGI; means, mounted on the end of said tem, adapted to encircle the banana stalk; nd' means on said encirclingmeans, adapted 0 carry the other end of said loop around he banana stalk and to thread it through tselfw 5. In a banana If a loop-holder; a stem held inoperative iosition" in relation to said loop-holder; a )airof jaws pivotally mounted on's'aid stem, idapted to together encircle the, banana stalk;

L flexible loop held at oneend by said loopiolder; means on one said jaw, adapted to :arry the other end of'said loop a part way troundthestalk; and means, on the other aw, adapted to receive thesaid otheriend of he loop and to draw itto 'theother side of ;aid stalk, Y a

6. In a banana stringer,v the combination )f a' flexible loop; a stem threaded through mid-loop; and means, mounted on the end if said stem, adapted to carry one end of said oop' around the banana stalk. I

In a banana stringer, the combination )1 a stem; a pair of jaws pivotally mounted JllBI'GOIl and 'coacting' to encircle the banana stalk .when'in closed position;fspring means engaging; said jaws and acting thereon to stringer, the combination 9. In a banana stringer, the combination with a stem; a (pair of bracket arms extending" forwardly an end; a pair of complementary aws, each laterally from its forward comprising a substantially semicircular armeans engaging the inner ends of bothsaid jaws and actuating them outward to sepa "rate their outer ends; means on the outer end of one said jaw, adapted to carry a cord November, 1930. v

1 OSCAR NORLING.

normally open their ends means on the open end of-onejaw, adapted to carry-a cord to, f one side of and a part way around the banana stalk; means on the open end of the other jaw, adapted to receive said cord "from the I first said jaw, when the jaws are closed; and

means for turning said jaws on-theirpivots close said jaws together. v

,8, In abanana stringerithe'combination againstthe action of said spring means,1to

of a stem a pair of jaws, each comprising a j I substantially semicircular arcuate body, piv

oted near its center to saidstem, said jaws coacting to encircle the bananastalkwhen in I closed position; spring means engagingthe inner ends of both said jaws and actuating I them outward to separate their outer ends; a recess on the outer-end of. one said aw, adapted to receive and carry a cord to one side and apart-way aroundthebanana stalk when f said aws are brought to each side thereof a a and their inner ends arepressed agains'tthe stalk to turn the jawson theirfpivots to close theirouter ends together; ja hook pivotally I mounted onthe outer end of the other'said jaw, adapted to pass behind and receive the cord from'the first said-j'aw, when said jaws areclosed, and to draw it around and to the:

other sideof said stalk. i

"0 cuate body, pivoted near its center to said 7 

